After viewing your classmates’ digital posters and reading the feedback comments left on your work, what new ideas or perspectives did you gain about your poster? Reflect on how the feedback influenced the way you think about your creative choices and describe what you learned about the creative process while designing and presenting your poster.

 Prompt response: People seemed to really like my poster and a common opinion was how mine stood out in format and color especially. I had alot of fun making my own poster from scratch using some y2k assets I found on Pinterest rather than just using the stock assets from adobe.

Summary: We reviewed each others posters

Reflection: Im lowk goated at graphic design and thats definitely not ego talking

Reflect on the simile and metaphor worksheet. Which topic challenged you the most when creating your figurative language, and why? In your response, explain what made that topic difficult and how you worked through the challenge (or what you might do differently next time).

 Prompt Response: Appearance challenges me the most, I could have chosen something harsh or negative but growing up, in middle school people didn't really care for comparisons, they would just look at you and call you ugly. My mom is an English major so she tends to use alot more figurative language than the average person would so I quoted her instead.

Summary: We worked on our simile and metaphor posters

Reflection: Making a poster from scratch was really fun and I liked the creativity of it.

Today you created similes and metaphors that reflect your struggles, growth, and resilience. In a well-developed paragraph, reflect on the process. What did you learn about yourself while writing your figurative language?

 Prompt Response: Frankly the most difficult part of the process for me what remembering specific times that I could use as inspiration for my metaphors and similes, I didn't want to just make up a generic scenario like being a beautiful butterfly or my hair being a rats nest, I wanted to choose specific times from my life so I could be more creative.

Summary: We created similes and metaphors about ourselves

Reflection: I can remember alot more experiences from elementary school in vivid detail than I thought, alot of the experiences I used for my quotes came from grades 3-5.

Describe how you spent your time, any activities, traditions, travel, hobbies, or moments that stood out to you. You may also discuss something new you tried, something you learned, or how the break helped you reset before returning to school. Keep your response appropriate for a school setting and focus on experiences you are comfortable sharing publicly

Prompt Response: Over break I got the opportunity to meet my future illustration professor at CU Denver, and show him my current artistic portfolio. I was able to receive critique as well as praise from someone ill be learning from for the next 4 years.

Summary: We read and analyzed Maya Angelou's "Still I rise"

Reflection: Every year of high school in our English class we review this poem and every time I feel like I understand a little more of it.

Write about something you’ve outgrown but still miss.

Response: Stuffed animals, I know that at a certain point in my life I have to declutter and let go of things I loved as a little kid, and every year it seems I end up donating more and more of my stuffed animals to goodwill. Occasionally I find myself looking for them in my room before I remember I got rid of them. 

Summary: We read through a portion of chapter 7 and answered 14 questions.

Reflection: Cheryl's journey navigating gender expectations out in the wild seems like such a freeing experience, to be able to let go and just be a person on a hike rather than a woman or a man on a hike.

Much of this section focuses on Cheryl’s physical exhaustion and discomfort. Describe a moment when your body limited what you could do, and explain what that experience taught you about your mental strength.

Prompt Response: When I was in elementary school, my mom was in charge of the annual used book sale. I volunteered to help but many of the boxes were filled to the brim with large books, still I was determined to help my mom and carry them to the tables. I was able to do a lot of the small boxes, but continued to get frustrated while trying to lift the heavier ones. The fact is those boxes were close to my own weight so unless I was a baby hulk there was so way I would be able to lift them myself. I was really disappointed I couldn't just do it.

Summary: We answered 6 questions relating to wild.

Reflection: I cant really think of anything to reflect on

In Wild, Cheryl Strayed writes about the difference between deciding to do something and actually committing to it: “There was the first, flip decision to do it, followed by the second, more serious decision to actually do it.” Reflect on a time in your own life when you made a quick or casual decision that later required a deeper commitment. Describe what changed between the first decision and the moment you realized you truly had to follow through. What fears, challenges, or responsibilities became real once the decision was no longer just an idea?

 Prompt Response: For me this decision was college, I had somewhat decided I would go to college, specifically a school in Denver, but I hadn't really committed to it for months. I kept telling myself and others that I would get it done and apply, but for 6 months I just kept saying I would instead of working on my application at all. I was nervous about college, scared it wasn't for me and that I wasn't ready. But after the holidays spending alot of time around my family, I realized how much I need to get away from everyone to be happy. My family is a large source of anxiety and turmoil for me so being reminded of their rudeness and bad habits pushed me to finally apply and get it done so I wouldn't be stuck with them forever.

Summary: We read chapter 1 of Wild

Reflection: I worry about my mom since she plans on going on a through hike once I move out.